


Stand beside me

by fallingfeathers



Category: Noblesse (Manhwa)
Genre: Contracts, First Kiss, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-01
Updated: 2020-03-20
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:13:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22974565
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fallingfeathers/pseuds/fallingfeathers
Summary: When the blood contract is formed, Raizel gets access to Frankenstein's innermost desires, some of which are immediately actionable.
Relationships: Cadis Etrama Di Raizel & Frankenstein (Noblesse), Cadis Etrama di Raizel/Frankenstein (Noblesse)
Comments: 18
Kudos: 154





	1. Chapter 1

Even before he lifted the cup to his lips, Raizel knew that something was off. Frankenstein emanated the same nervous energy he’d had when he first entered Raizel’s life, appearing unbidden (but not unwanted) in a house that had been quiet for so long. Afraid of being caught, but also tired of running.

He drank the tea anyways. He had to. He didn’t have the power to refuse Frankenstein anything that he wanted. The taste of blood tingled on his tongue, and he felt the wild swirl of emotions that was Frankenstein, the seething rage that crashed constantly against a steel cage of a mind, all bottled up by a deep yearning. Hmm. The yearning was a new sensation, one that was beginning to supplant Frankenstein’s original thirst for power.

“The tea tastes different,” he observed.

_Tell me what you yearn for, Frankenstein._

His companion flushed, fumbling with the handle of the tea cart. “Is - is that so? It’s a different blend than normal.”

“Frankenstein.”

_Is this really what you want? To be bound to a broken relic of the past, to exchange your freedom for servitude?_

The directness was effective. A startled Frankenstein looked directly at Raizel with dilated pupils. _Beautiful_ , Raizel thought. Like catching a sliver of sky between fast-moving clouds.

“Now that you’ve made a soul contract through blood,” he said. “Do you agree?”

_I need to know that this is what you really want._

There was no hesitation. As soon as Frankenstein absorbed his words, he covered his heart and knelt in a single smooth motion.

“Yes, master.”

A red glow enveloped both of them, and suddenly Raizel knew Frankenstein completely, better than he’d ever known anyone. His small insights into Frankenstein’s emotions earlier were scraps compared to how full his comprehension was now. The buried guilt and regret weren’t surprising - they fueled the empathy required to wield Dark Spear - but some of the human’s desires were… unexpected, although not unwelcome.

Raizel turned back to the window.

“Stand beside me,” he said.

A rustle of clothes as Frankenstein rose and joined him beside the window, gazing out at the peaceful scenery.

“This was my entire world before you came here,” Raizel said after a long silence. “But you’ve brought me so much more.”

And he turned to Frankenstein, threading one hand under the blonde’s mane and caressing the warm neck for an instant before pulling him in.

Frankenstein stiffened in shock.

“M-master,” he said, before Raizel pressed his lips over his mouth. Gradually the human’s body relaxed, and through their bond, Raizel felt a melting, almost disbelieving bliss. He pulled back gently.

“Given how many times you’ve imagined this,” Raizel said, “I would have expected you to be less shocked right now.”

“...you saw that?!” There was a visible rush of blood to Frankenstein’s cheeks. “What else did you see?”

Raizel simply smiled in reply, turning back to the window.

“M-master?!”


	2. Chapter 2

The doors to the throne room flew open.

“Frankenstein!” said Gechutel, scandalized. “You can’t just burst in like that. Show some respect - ”

“I need to talk to the lord in private,” Frankenstein said, cutting across Gechutel’s rejoinder. “ _ Now. _ ”

“As usual, the human has no decorum,” Urokai sniffed. “What gives you the right to make demands of the lord?”

Said lord was leaning forward with sparkling eyes.  “Do you see this? He came to me without being summoned, and knows the worth of a private audience with me. Everyone take a leaf from his book.”

“Are you sure this is wise, my lord? Frankenstein is normally unstable, but today he seems downright… crazed.”

Indeed, there seemed to be a heavy static energy circulating around Frankenstein’s body, and his teeth were bared.

“You worry too much, Gechutel. Leave us.”

Casting nervous glances back, Gechutel hustled out of the hall, propelling a seething Urokai before him.

The lord steepled his fingers under his chin.  “Now, what is troubling you, Frankenstein? Something has left you frazzled.”

“You…” Frankenstein bit out. “You purposely misled me. You left out the most crucial information about what making a contract would entail.”

“So you’ve finally made a contract with Raizel!” the lord said, delighted.

“Yes, and it’s been an utter nightmare.”

“I don’t understand,” the lord said. “What exactly is the problem?”

“I have no privacy anymore! He can hear every single thing I think.”

“What could you have to hide from your master?” the lord asked innocently.

“You know perfectly well. Whenever I think about him in…  _ that _ way… he pops up and gives me a knowing smile. It’s driving me crazy.”

“So you’ve come to me because you’re… sexually frustrated?”

“Uh… not exactly. Sometimes master does, uh, do more, after smiling knowingly.”

There was a long silence.

“I don’t see the problem,” the lord said finally.

Frankenstein groaned, burying his forehead in his hands.  “I just want some modicum of privacy. I can’t even look him in the face anymore, and the mansion used to feel far too large for just two people, but now I seem to run into him at every corner, as if he knows where I am at every moment,  _ which he does _ thanks to this goddamn contract, and...”

“It is strange,” the lord said thoughtfully. “While contracts provide a mental link, there shouldn’t be complete thought transference. But as I’ve said before, contracts are built on the will of the parties involved. May I ask your intentions upon creating the contract?”

“Um,” said Frankenstein, broken out of his rambling. He flushed a little. “I, uh, wanted to give all of myself to master.”

Another pause, then the lord clapped his hands together.

“In conclusion, all of your problems are your own doing. Case solved,” he said, smiling brightly. “Next!”


	3. Chapter 3

Raizel was troubled. His most recent conversation with the Lord kept lingering in his mind. He’d known something was wrong as soon as he entered the throne room and saw the lord beaming.

“I must congratulate you,” the lord said.

Raizel stiffened. 

“You’re handling Frankenstein extraordinarily well. Of course, I was the one who initially granted him permission to stay in our lands, going against the will of several family heads, who claimed it was an eyesore and a disgrace to the noblesse. But I’ll be honest that I had my own doubts, although I kept silent. Who was I to stand in the way of the only initiative you’d shown in centuries? If you didn’t lead such a stagnant lifestyle, I would never have approved of such a risky decision. But it got to the point where any change seemed better than no change, and after all, what was the worst that Frankenstein could do? Deflower you?”

Raizel gazed stoically at a point somewhere above the lord’s right shoulder. Millenia of experience had taught him that pretending to be deaf was the best way of ensuring that conversations with the lord ended as quickly as possible.

“Bahaha! I never would’ve guessed that I should be worried for Frankenstein instead of for you! You’re quite a wolf in sheep’s clothing, aren’t you, Raizel? I’ve never seen Frankenstein so discomfited before.”

Raizel couldn’t hold it in any longer. “I think it’s time I got going, my lord.”

“Of course, you must be eager to get back to it,” the lord said, winking. “Keep up the good work!”

The truth was - and he felt a little guilty about it - Raizel had discovered a certain pleasure in seeing Frankenstein flustered. After all, the human rarely showed weakness, yet from the start he had let Raizel see him wounded, had taken his help. It made Raizel feel… special. But it was now clear that he had been too indulgent. The lord’s praise was a surefire sign that he had gone too far with amusing himself at Frankenstein’s expense.

_ Frankenstein _ , he called out in his mind, tapping his fingers on the arm of the sofa. He must be nervous, he realized with surprise.

“Yes, master?” Frankenstein appeared in the doorway closest to the kitchen, wheeling a tea cart before him. As he bent over to fill Raizel’s cup, Raizel used the chance to grasp Frankenstein’s wrist and pull the taller man into the middle seat.

They rarely sat beside one another - Frankenstein seemed to enjoy standing attentively while Raizel lounged, as if Gechutel and Rayga were lurking around the corner, waiting to seize him if presented with evidence that he wasn’t a mere butler - and it seemed that even this was enough to bring a light blush to Frankenstein’s face. Raizel sighed. Frankenstein’s reddened cheeks would be a difficult pleasure to give up. He took his time to drink in the view fully before speaking.

“The lord told me about your concerns. I’d like to apologize for my behavior, Frankenstein.”

Frankenstein’s eyes widened.

“I’ll be gentler with you from now on,” Raizel added.

_ If anything, I’d like you to be rougher _ . Frankenstein’s thought cut cleanly through both of their minds. Raizel froze, then reminded himself that he was pretending not to hear such thoughts going forward. Forcing his gaze away from the blonde, he leaned forward to distract himself with his tea.

Frankenstein cleared his throat. “Uh… I don’t know what he said to you, but it’s true that I panicked because I’m not used to intimacy… let alone with someone like you…”

“Someone like me,” Raizel repeated, his thoughts turning dark.

“Someone that matters so much,” Frankenstien corrected quickly. “Someone that I… greatly desire. I hate to give him credit, but the lord helped me realize that you hear my thoughts because I want you to. Because I want you to act on them.”

His blush deepened.

“Er, not that you have to, of course. I would never expect that of you. It must be enough of a bother having impure thoughts intrude on your mind. I’m so sorry - ”

Raizel pushed him down onto the couch, straddling him while pinning his arms above his head, and was gratified that this cut off the babble. Experimentally, he dug his nails into Frankenstein’s wrists just a little, and watched with interest as the human’s breathing became more labored. Then he dipped his head to whisper directly into Frankenstein’s ear.

“So you’re saying,” he felt Frankenstein tremble as his warm breath pulsed across his ear, “That this is what you want.”

“Y-yes, master.”

Raizel pressed light kisses along Frankenstein’s neck before biting down without warning, sharply enough for drops of blood to well up.

“Don’t go to the lord anymore,” he warned, pushing his voice lower than usual. “I’m the only one who gets to see you in discomfort.”

Frankenstein bit back a whimper. “Yes, master.”

Raizel licked the blood from his neck, savoring the taste. Frankenstein was easy to please, he mused. His imagination supplied the entire script, and all Raizel had to do was follow along.

“Very good. But some punishment is deserved for past transgressions, don’t you think?”

Raizel took the hot flush of pleasure shooting through their bond as acquiescence.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nobody in Lukedonia knows how to knock.

Gechutel: <clearing his throat> I’ll tell the lord that you’re both… occupied.

~~~~~~~~

The lord: I heard from Gechutel that I could see something good here! Well, his exact words were, “Please stop sending me to that mansion, I’ve seen things I’ll never be able to unsee,” so of course I came at once. Hey, no need to stop on my behalf, you can just pretend I’m not here… wait, where are you both going?

~~~~~~~~

Muzaka: Bahaha, looks like you’re having fun, Raizel! Maybe I’ll try this sometime too. No, of course I didn’t mean with Frankenstein, don’t give me that betrayed look… you’re summoning a blanket to cover him up now? Don’t you trust me at all?

Muzaka, one year later: Look, I’m not trying to blame anyone here, all I’m saying is that you’re both much more familiar with human society than me, right? And it would’ve taken, what, a few seconds to warn me about how high human fertility rates are?

Muzaka, two years later: Her name is Ashleen. Isn’t she adorable? It’s a little hard to understand the noises you’re making through that gag, Raizel, but I can tell from the way your eyes are glistening that you think she’s the most beautiful little girl in the universe…

Muzaka, seven years later: Get a room, you two! There’s children present!

Raizel: Muzaka, you’re the one in our room.

Muzaka: Well, you should lock the door if you’re going to be engaging in indecent behavior.

Ashleen: Papa, why aren’t those men wearing clothes?

Muzaka: They’re… uh… about to take a shower, sweetheart. So let’s turn around and leave them to do that.

Frankenstein: Mmm, someone is getting pretty wet…

Muzaka: Frankenstein!

~~~~~~~~

Urokai: …

Frankenstein: If you’re done gaping, Urokai, can you get out? As you can see, Master and I are rather busy.

<Two days after>

Zarga: Urokai, what happened to your other eye? Don’t tell me you got into another clash with Frankenstein. The lord ordered us not to provoke him after the last fight.

Urokai: No, I did this to myself. The other day, I saw something so unpleasant that before I knew it, I had stabbed myself in the eye.

Zarga: ...I don’t understand. Regardless, please tell me you intend to seek treatment this time. Surely you won’t go let yourself go fully blind.

Urokai: Sadly, even after blinding myself, the mental image of that travesty is rooted in my mind. Since this wound isn’t shielding me, I will allow it to heal. I only hope my mental scars can heal one day as well.

~~~~~~~~

Frankenstein: Rayga, you seem distracted today. Your technique lacks its usual subtlety, and you’re not tracking my movements as well as usual.

Rayga: <blushing> I apologize, Frankenstein. I must admit, I’ve… I’ve behaved poorly towards you recently. I myself hardly know why, but yesterday I had a sudden vision of you and the Noblesse engaging in… impure activities. I swear to you, I don’t mean to have such thoughts, but I haven’t been able to get them out of my mind.

Frankenstein: What are you saying? That wasn’t a vision. You walked in yesterday while I was pleasuring Master, and promptly fainted away.

Rayga: ...what?

Frankenstein: It was quite the hassle. Master insisted that we stop what we were doing to check on you, and when you didn’t rouse, I had to carry you back to your abode.

Rayga: I… are you angry? Your attacks felt more vicious today, but I thought it was simply my guilt weighing on me.

Frankenstein: Of course I’m angry. You interrupted my time with Master.

Rayga: <faintly> I’m sorry?

Frankenstein: Will you learn to knock, please? And teach the skill to the rest of your fellow nobles?


End file.
